


a single breath is more than enough

by grilledhaifisch



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Dr Nyarlathotep, Eldritch, Gen, Nonbinary Doctor (Doctor Who), POV First Person, Poetry, but they just want to have friends, the doctor is horrifying but tries their best ok, the doctor is terrifying for telepaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-14 05:51:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15382080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grilledhaifisch/pseuds/grilledhaifisch
Summary: A telepath meets the doctor for the first time. It does not go well for them.





	1. Chapter 1

they arrived here some time ago  
i don't know when  
i don't remember  
they haven't noticed me  
i'm always in the background  
i'm used to people not noticing me.  
when i look at them  
i feel like i'm looking into ~~one~~  
~~two~~  
~~three~~  
~~four~~  
~~five~~  
~~six~~  
~~seven~~  
~~eight~~  
~~nine~~  
~~ten~~  
_~~(another ten?)~~_  
~~eleven~~  
~~twelve~~  
~~thirteen~~  
~~a million~~  
a single mirror reflecting into itself eternally  
and there's  
something  
right  
on  
the  
edge  
that i can't see  
what is it? what isit? whattisitwhaitswhatstitswhastiswhatsitISWHAT _SITWHASIT ~~WHASTIS **WHATSIT W H A T I S I T**~~_  
it's  
something  
i can't  
quite  
~~understand comprehend experience~~  
i feel myself endlessly reflected  
lost  
and then the mirror shatters  
i shatter with it  
i can almost see it now  
it's a shy little creature  
it's a horrifying visage  
it's a parody of three-dimensional beings  
it's a costume that doesn't quite fit  
~~it's~~  
"Hello, I'm the Doctor. Are you feeling alright?"  
they've noticed me.


	2. more than enough to drown you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor arrives in an intergalactic marketplace together with zir newest companion. Something seems odd.

The Doctor peeks what would equate to zir head (ze thinks) out of the tardis doors, and ze's immediately overwhelmed by the bustle of the market just outside. Ze can smell spices from somewhere in Andromeda that ze can't exactly pinpoint, and hears the distinct and light chime of bells from Mars in the 43rd millenia after... something. Another thing ze notices, or rather, feels, is the gentle prod of a curious telepath. Ze doesn't let them learn more than what ze's feeling: excitement about a new place and concern for zir new companion, with some suspiciousness sprinkled on top. Ze tries not to let on that ze knows about the telepath's poking about, but ze can't resist just a little prod back. Ze feels...  
the odd comfort (resignation to being ignored) of no one (someone will eventually(melancholy))) paying attention to (you (me))  
(is someone watching?(is anyone watching?) i hope no one is it'd be terribly awkward (punishment(fear(not a lot(still)))) if anyone (older sibling? mother?) knew  
what i'm doing (spying (i'll get scolded(by my family)mom doesn't like scolding me but she does it anyway) on newcomers to the market(home)))  
The Doctor gently retreats, hoping that the unseen youngster didn't notice that slight breach of privacy. Really, as a telepath they should really be more guarded, not that the Doctor can really fault them, seeing as they're only, what, a few decades old? Telepathic races usually live for more than just a measly century.  
Ze lets it go for now, wandering out the door and into the bustling marketplace, gesturing to zir newest fellow time-traveler that it's perfectly safe out here, and look, they even have chairs with moving legs that you can rent to get around in the market!

 

  
                                                                                                                          ***

 

  
Ze's deeply focused on a puzzle that should, by all standards, not be able to work in normal space-time when ze notices, just a touch too late, that the telepath from before has slipped through. Ze doesn't mind much, it's not like they're very dangerous. Although...  
Ze realizes too late that it might not be the telepath that's dangerous here.  
Just as ze's about to block them off, their presence is replaced by mindless noise, then a

deafening (pinpricks on the edge of your vision) howl (static electricity as a feeling in the back of your head) of (too much too much too much too much too much whywhywhywhywhywhywhy)

 

 

 

 

silence

 

 

 

 

Ze stumbles, and hears someone fall to the ground behind zir. Ze rushes to their aid.  
Ze looks deep into their eyes, tries to project comfort and stability and warmth, but their thoughts are...  
nononononononono (need to get away gogogogo NOW(hurry(before it happens again) why can't you move stupid legs) HURRY UP GET UP RUN RUN RUN)  
"Hello, I'm The Doctor. Are you feeling alright?"  
They stare, wide-eyed, for a moment.  
Then they stumble up and away, all frantic movements and flailing limbs.  
"I wonder what that was all about," zir companion muses as ze stands up.  
"Me too..." Ze looks after the telepath, worried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoofa an unexpected second chapter huh


End file.
